n. Any of several small shorebirds of the genus Phalaropus, having lobed toes and characteristically feeding by spinning in small circles in the water and catching small invertebrates brought to the surface by this motion. [French, from New Latin phalaropūs : Greek phalaris, coot (from phalaros, having a white spot (the Eurasian coot having a fleshy, bright white area on its forehead extending up from its bill between its eyes); see bhel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Greek pous, foot; see ped- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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